Patent GB-442137-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to aircraft
IPC: B64C27/02
Filed: 1934-07-27
Abstract: 442,137. Aircraft with rotary-wing systems. KAY GYROPLANES, Ltd., KAY, D., and DYER, J. W., 18, Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh. July 27, 1934, No. 22018. [Class 4] In a gyroplane having means for tilting the rotor-carrying member laterally of the craft means are provided for causing actuation of the lateral tilting means to cause a simultaneous fore-and-aft movement of the rotorsupporting member to take place in order to compensate for the variation in the effective angle of incidence of the rotor blade or blades pointing in a fore-and-aft direction due to such lateral tilting. The invention is shewn applied to a rotor mast 1, Fig. 1, tiltably mounted in a fixed frame 26 in the manner described in Specification 442,016, by means of a zed-crank member 5 asymmetrically disposed on, and keyed to, a transversely disposed rotatable spindle 10. Mast 1 is journalled on member 5 by means of integrallyformed forked arms 2, 3, and is adapted to be tilted laterally by rotation of spindle 10. Rearwardly extending side plates 6, 7, Fig. 2, secured to arms 2, 3 carry a cross pin 8 upon which is rotatably mounted a block 19 pivotally connected by a pin 20 to an adjustable link 9 secured to frame 26 in such manner as to be vertically movable. Link 9 is offset rearwardly from the axis of mast 1 and laterally from the longitudinal centre line BB of the mast, the amount of lateral offset being determined by the dimensions of distance pieces 21, 22 locating block 19. The axis of zed-crank barrel 5 when mast 1 is vertical, is substantially horizontal ; rotation of the barrel accordingly causes the axis to tilt relatively to the horizontal plane in a direction determined by the direction of rotation of the barrel. The axis of tilt of the barrel and hence of the rotor mast passes substantially through the centre line of mast 1 and bisects cross pin 8. Since, as will be seen from Fig. 4, pin 8 is only free to rotate, in so far as rotation in the vertical plane is concerned, about the axis of pin 20 and since the latter is offset from the axis of tilt of the mast 1, lateral tilting of the latter is accompanied by a movement of rotation about the axis of the zed-crank barrel, the direction of rotation being forward for tilt to the left and rearward for a tilt to the right. The rotor in the form described is adapted to rotate in an anticlockwise direction viewed from below. For an oppositely turning rotor, block 19 and link 9 would be disposed on the opposite side of pin 9 from that shown. In a modification, block 19 is formed as a nut and pin 8 is screw-threaded so that the position of block 19 may be adjusted by rotating pin 8. Link 9 is connected by a ball-and-socket joint to a control drum 23 threaded into a nut 24 fixed to mounting 26. Drum 23 is formed with cable grooves of the same pitch and the same hand as the threads of nut 24 so that take-off of the cable from the drum occurs at a constant height. The spindle 10 of the zed-crank member may be operated by the cable-operated worm gear shewn in Fig. 3 either by power means, or by lever-and-link mechanism coupled to a pivoted control member in the cockpit. The construction described may be used in conjunction with the incidence control mechanism described in Specification 442,015 and the rotor starting gear described in Specification 442,014. Specification 285,213, [Class 114], also is referred to.